The Queen may have been inspired to order a new hat after her visit to the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea show.

It seems she was so bewitched by a dazzling array of designer head creations made from leaves, berries and blooms she said they would be “ideal” for Ascot.

She even enquired how long they would last - the race meeting next month lasts four days from June 16 to 20.

Her interest in a real flower hat was disclosed by Denis van Wonderen, events director at the British Floral Association.

He said he had reasssured Her Majesty that if the flowers were lightly sprayed with water twice a day the creation could last three or four days.

The floral hats are a head-turning display at this year’s show and are the work of finalists for the RHS florist of the year competition.

The hats may have been of special significance to the Queen for she is to show off one of her own floral creations in a special exhibition for this year’s summer opening of Buckingham Palace.

She wore a white petalled hat with pink sprigs and green leaves designed by Simone Mirman during her 1972 Commonwealth tour of Singapore and Malaysia.

The Queen, used to balancing weighty matters, was particularly drawn to an elaborate hat with branches resembling an upturned walking cane or dinosaur tail.

She immediately remarked: “That looks very heavy.”

The Imperial State Crown she wears at the State Opening of Parliament each year wears two pounds, while the St Edward’s Crown, worn at her Coronation, weighs just over five pounds.

The extravaganza which caught her eye however weighs over 10lbs.She admired the meticulous detail of the orchids, roses, tiny green chrysanthemums and pink kalenchoë that were weaved among pepperomia and stachys leaves.

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